Google Now is still very much a work in progress, and even though it has evolved significantly since its introduction a couple of years ago, it's always going to have its imperfections. One such case is when, rather irritatingly, the voice recognition feature cannot properly comprehend what you're saying, and if you're asking a long question, having to repeat the entire speech becomes cumbersome even at the second time of asking. Now, though, thanks to an update, you can correct just the word that Google Now has failed to latch onto by using a simple command, and although it's rare for the polished service to mishear anything anyway, it's a good little tip to know.
Although many of Google's big announcements over the past year or so have related to Project Glass, this year's I/O developers conference was all about Android, Android Wear, and the Chromecast, with the search giant also rolling out some new products and services for the home and auto markets. Chromecast, which first hit the scene last year, is not only incredibly cheap, but also highly functional, and at the aforementioned I/O in June, we learned that the Big G was about to add Android Mirroring to the HDMI dongle's repertoire. Today, the company has delivered on that promise, and now, Android-wielding Chromecast users can beam the contents of their display onto their HDTVs.
Android's open-source nature is a bit of a double-edged sword in many respects, for although it's customizable to the nth degree, it's also much more susceptible to malicious intrusion when compared with the likes of Apple's iOS. On a regular basis, we hear of new, cunning schemes designed to attack smartphones and tablets running on Google's flagship mobile OS, and today, we've encountered a particularly alarming security hole that could potentially help a hacker relieve you of vast mounds of cash.
Having visually compared Android L with KitKat, we found out that Google is pushing hard to take Android one step further from where it stands right now. But how does it compare to its fiercest upcoming rival, iOS 8? That’s exactly what we’re going to find out, by comparing Android L preview with iOS 8 beta, visually.
With as much technology infiltration as we have in our daily lives today, it becomes quite a challenge to truly protect and maintain your privacy and data security. It’s not just the inherent risk with technology and software bugs, either; we willingly expose our personal identification information to a number of parties in order to use their services. Take the newest discovery, for instance, where it has been found out that an Android phone that has its screen turned off and is connected to Wi-Fi network, can actually be actively browsing the user’s location history to anyone who’s interested in listening.
Google Glass may have managed to notch up legions of fans thanks to its technical capabilities, but could we about to see the fashion conscious adopt the wearable technology as a statement of style? It may sound a little far-fetched as the product isn't exactly the most aesthetically pleasing piece of kit we've ever come across. However, in an effort to stand apart from other providers of prescription lenses for Glass, Rochester Optical has started offering a line of stylish sunglass lenses that are compatible with Google's eyewear.
We know that Android Wear, like most smartwatch ecosystems, will rely heavily on a smartphone for a great deal of its functionality. Given that they're designed, in essence, to supplement our handsets, this isn't too much of a surprise, but with some standalone Android Wear apps having just cropped up on Google Play, it's clear that the likes of the Moto 360, and LG's G Watch will have minds of their own, too. The first batch of Android Wear apps untethered by any post-installation smartphone interaction have begun appearing on the Play Store, and although, naturally, we're talking bare basics in terms of functionality, it sets a very encouraging precedent.
Google's Orkut social network, which has been edging towards the graveyard for quite a while now, is about to be killed off for the greater good, with Google stepping out and confirming that the service would be on September 30th. The site, which has remained somewhat popular in Brazil, has faded amid the emergence of Facebook and Google+, and the Big G has stressed that it would rather pool its efforts into expanding its more established networks like YouTube, Blogger, and the aforementioned G+.
Google's new Android Wear, TV and Auto ventures were front and center during Google I/O, and as the dust settles on all the biggest announcements to come out of the developer event, we're now starting to find out the more interesting details about what Google will be working on this year.
As promised, Google rolled out the Android L SDK on Thursday, and for those looking to flash the developer preview software onto their Nexus 7 (2013, Wi-Fi) or Nexus 5, the process isn't actually all that arduous. Below, we've outlined all of the steps in one easy-to-follow, concise tutorial, so if you want to take a sneak peek at what Google's been working on, join us after the fold.
